tag:www.naturalawakeningsnj.com,2005:/categories/community?page=8Community | Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey Page 8Healthy Living Healthy Planet2019-08-15T21:48:31-07:00urn:uuid:72b88148-0f62-4672-a814-7bc3734355632019-08-15T21:48:31-07:002019-08-15T21:48:31-07:00Monstrous Morass: Great Pacific Garbage Patch Out of Control2018-12-27 11:45:24 -0800Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">I</span>n the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California, the 80,000-ton Great Pacific Garbage Patch is growing. Encompassing 600,000 square miles, the world’s largest such dump is twice the size of Texas, according to a three-year mapping effort by eight organizations. “To solve a problem, we need to understand it first,” says Boyan Slat, CEO of Dutch-based nonprofit The Ocean Cleanup.</p>
<p>“The bad part is that there is more [there] than what we thought. The good part is that most of the plastic is still large objects. Just 8 percent of the plastic is micro plastic. It’s not too late to do something about it.” Fishing gear comprises an estimated half of the debris. The Ocean Cleanup intends to capture, concentrate and ship the materials from the patch back to land.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the January 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:c37125e9-6273-4486-9403-3b4fc7ddccd92019-08-15T21:10:56-07:002019-08-15T21:10:56-07:00Happy Hoppers: Nature Finds a Way2018-12-27 11:45:19 -0800Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">F</span>rogs and toads are returning in parts of Panama after a deadly fungal disease devastated amphibians in Central America from 2004 to 2007. New research shows that evolution may have saved the day. In El Cope, at least four species disappeared, including the red-striped Rio San Juan robber frog. Four other species lost at least 88 percent of their populations. They are still infected with the fungus, but are alive and increasing in numbers, according to a new study in the journal Science.</p>
<p>Studies have shown that as bad as disease outbreaks get, they play a tiny role in species extinction, notes Andrew Blaustein, at Oregon State University, who wasn’t part of the current study. Evolution allows species to resist completely succumbing to the nastiest diseases, “So, yes, there is hope.”</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the January 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:a258436f-55f1-42b3-b944-1963ee30ce462019-08-15T21:14:46-07:002019-08-15T21:14:46-07:00Ancient Canines: Presumed Extinct Dog Species Rediscovered2018-12-27 11:45:19 -0800Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>fter thinking the New Guinea highland wild dog had gone extinct in its native habitat, researchers have now confirmed the existence of a healthy, viable population, hidden on the island in one of the most remote and inhospitable regions on Earth. According to DNA analysis, these are the most ancient and primitive canids (dogs) in existence. “The discovery and confirmation of the highland wild dog for the first time in over half a century is not only exciting, but an incredible opportunity for science,” says the group behind the discovery, the New Guinea Highland Wild Dog Foundation.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the January 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:4f2c1831-ba51-4d68-9030-afbde210dab32019-08-15T21:43:13-07:002019-08-15T21:43:13-07:003-D Domiciles: High-Tech Instant Homes on Horizon2018-12-27 11:45:18 -0800Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">A</span> 3-D printed home can be built in less than 24 hours at a cost of $10,000. Developers hope to cut it to $4,000 to help families living in poverty or other unsafe conditions. New Story, a housing charity organization, and ICON, a construction tech company, have partnered to try ending global homelessness. Being able to lock the door and have a safe shelter can be elusive. An entire community of printed homes is planned for construction in El Salvador.</p>
<p>The 650-square-foot, proof-of-concept prototype—containing a living room, small office, one bedroom and one bathroom—was built in Austin, Texas. Human workers installed the windows, doors, plumbing and electrical systems. ICON staff will use the home as an office to test its durability.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the January 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:f4e9b71d-2b54-4dc4-97fb-5f792a16179e2019-08-15T21:51:33-07:002019-08-15T21:51:33-07:00Not Yet Extinct: New Species Discovered2018-11-30 13:18:13 -0800Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">W</span>e know a lot about the Earth and its creatures, but never everything. The State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry, in Syracuse, has compiled a list of the top 10 new species discovered in 2018, which includes a rare great ape, hitchhiking beetle, omnivorous marsupial lion thought-to-be-extinct and other species that are critically endangered.</p>
<p>Quentin Wheeler, college president and founding director of the International Institute for Species Exploration, says, “As humans alter habitats and contribute to global climate change, species are going extinct at a faster rate than we can name them. They can teach us so much about the intricacies of ecosystems and the details of evolutionary history.”</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the December 2018 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:e6613159-8189-44d8-b272-3bccd5e15fea2019-08-15T21:48:27-07:002019-08-15T21:48:27-07:00Bridge Reborn: Tappan Zee Repurposed into Reef2018-11-30 13:18:10 -0800Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>he old Tappan Zee Bridge, a three-mile span over New York’s Hudson River, is being turned into several artificial reefs off Long Island. Barge loads of decades-old concrete chunks and steel will significantly expand a state-managed artificial reef program to provide new habitats that increase the diversity of marine life, promote recreational fishing and diving, and bolster economic development.</p>
<p>The Tappan Zee, which opened in 1955 and was replaced in 2017, was once a vital crossing just north of New York City, carrying nearly 140,000 vehicles a day at its peak. Some parts are destined for recycling centers and scrap yards, while others are being repurposed.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the December 2018 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:1996e78b-8adc-4d0f-be49-6b75b9bc91102019-08-19T11:56:18-07:002019-08-19T11:56:18-07:00Dr. George Wang Wisdom Health & Wellbeing2018-11-28 10:00:00 -0800Joe Dunne<p><span class="dropcap">H</span>ealing is personal. This might not seem apparent when hearing Dr. George Wang, founder of Wisdom Health & Wellbeing, describe what it takes to complete medical specialty training and achieve a Ph.D. in Clinical Investigation. The list of schools, achievements and mentors that offered him their expertise and guidance is astounding. However, it is his quiet enthusiasm for the process—the twists, turns and surprises in discovering how the body operates on the cellular level—that sounds less like research and more like a spy novel where each layer leads to an ever-expanding understanding of the whole.</p>
<p> Following his clinical training, Wang practiced in both the academic and private practice settings for over 13 years, including serving as medical faculty and attending physician at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center. His future was secure. He had prestige, recognition and monetary rewards, yet he knew his path was shifting. </p>
<p> During this time, Wang worked with Nobel Laureate Peter C. Doherty, Ph.D., whose research described how the body’s immune cells protect against viruses. Later on, studying other researchers’ work, Wang began to “connect the dots” in how pathways, links and relationships interact in the body—how to uncover the root of problems using a holistic approach, with the immune system as the healer. This exploration moved healing from the clinical to the personal, and then became even more personal when his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.</p>
<p> Wang immediately shifted his full attention and energy to helping his mother heal. His life’s work became clear. This was his turning stone, his “why” to what he does today. All the schooling, research and thousands of hours in the laboratories seemed to come together for this single purpose. He trusted that the science behind the holistic approach was solid. He knew the complexity and simplicity of human physiology and self-healing capacity and how to make it work for us rather than against us. His mother joined hands with him, trusting her son to lead the way to her recovery. Through the process, he used every protocol, whole-foods nutrition, mind-body therapy and appropriate supplements to achieve healing. In 2013, she went into remission and today is still cancer-free. Together, they changed each other’s lives.</p>
<p> Now Wang fulfills his dream of making a difference every day through Wisdom Health & Wellbeing, his integrative and functional medicine practice, where he treats adults of all ages with a special expertise in geriatric medicine. “Each patient is different—different biochemical and body constitutions, different lifestyles,” states Wang. “By looking at each person as an individual, finding and treating the root problem rather than simply applying a Band-Aid, we create healthy people along the way.”</p>
<p> In other words, healing is personal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Dr. Wang is board-certified in Integrative Medicine, Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. He is also licensed to practice acupuncture in New Jersey and New York.</em></p>
<p><em>Wisdom Health & Wellbeing is located at 51 John F. Kennedy Parkway, 1st Floor West, in Short Hills, New Jersey. For more information, call 973-671-1868 or visit <a href="http://WisdomHeal.com">WisdomHeal.com</a>.</em></p>
<h1> </h1>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:fbcf751f-5c15-4bd5-8c34-b7ede88d3f122019-08-15T21:32:34-07:002019-08-15T21:32:34-07:00End Game: Extinctions of Threatened Species Continue2018-10-31 09:04:15 -0700Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>he death of the world’s last male northern white rhino has rendered the species functionally extinct, which means the only hope of reviving the population is through <em>in vitro</em> fertilization. World Wildlife Fund head of campaigns Colin Butfield calls this a “uniquely bad situation.” Two other animals, the vaquita, a very rare porpoise discovered in 1958, and the Javan rhino are facing the same fate. Many other species, including the Sumatran rhino, black rhino, Amur leopard, forest elephant and Bornean orangutan are considered critically endangered, some with fewer than 100 individuals left. The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently considers 5,583 species of plant, mammal, bird, amphibian and marine life critically endangered.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the November 2018 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:b102e06a-375c-4d76-af72-952f5ecf40512019-08-19T11:57:02-07:002019-08-19T11:57:02-07:00Oceanfront Water-Fasting Retreat2018-10-27 17:43:00 -0700Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>he Balance for Life Retreat in Deerfield Beach, Florida, is offering medically supervised fasting retreats in an ideal, oceanfront location.</p>
<p> Historically, animals and humans naturally adapted to challenging conditions when food availability vacillated between periods of abundance and extreme deprivation. With advances in food production, fasting ceased to be a consideration for many, yet research confirms that controlled periods of water-only fasting, also known as a water cleanse, may provide major health benefits.</p>
<p> “Fasting under resting conditions allows the body to redirect its energy and blood supply away from digestion and food use to the work of elimination and repair. The process of detoxification is enhanced as waste products and environmental toxins are more efficiently eliminated,” explains Dr. Frank Sabatino, DC, Ph.D., a leading expert on water-only fasting and director of the Balance for Life program.</p>
<p> The profound natural healing process that occurs during fasting reduces inflammation and pain throughout the entire body, allowing the body and immune system to “reboot and self-correct.” Those that have experienced fasting often report increased energy and overall health improvement, sometimes quite dramatically.</p>
<p> Sabatino explains, “Previous guests have seen remarkable results including reduced insulin dependency, a decrease in bad cholesterol levels, improved blood sugar, elimination of chronic pain, lower blood pressure and more.”</p>
<p><em>For more information, call 800-663-9292, email <a href="mailto:Info@BalanceForLifeFlorida.com">Info@BalanceForLifeFlorida.com</a> or visit <a href="http://BalanceForLifeFlorida.com">BalanceForLifeFlorida.com</a>.</em><br>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:93e1dd14-ea61-4fb9-87a5-6a0e11048f802019-08-19T11:57:04-07:002019-08-19T11:57:04-07:00Lorena Fiama: Holistic Health Coach2018-10-27 17:16:00 -0700Anonymous<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>s a holistic health coach, Lorena Fiama understands that health is not only a result of the food consumed on a daily basis, but also a result of daily thoughts, emotions, movement and relationships. The recognition that true health comes from achieving balance between the mind, body and spirit inspired her to create customized programs for women to help them attain their goals. Using the power of a whole foods, plant-based diet, Fiama helps women attain their ideal weight, gain more energy, decrease inflammation and live their version of an idyllic life.</p>
<p> Programs vary in duration depending on the client’s individual goals, as well as in-person grocery store tours and pantry makeovers to those in the New Jersey/New York area.</p>
<p> For a limited time, Fiama is offering free 30-minute phone consultations to assess how she can best help clients reach their goals.</p>
<p><em>To schedule your free consultation, call or text 813-451-7658, email <a href="mailto:Info@LorenaFiama.com">Info@LorenaFiama.com</a> or visit <a href="http://LorenaFiama.com">LorenaFiama.com</a>.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:658a9209-b237-412a-9043-f71ecc20a3832019-08-19T11:57:00-07:002019-08-19T11:57:00-07:00When the Soul Is Ready, Solution Arises: Healing with Reshma Shah2018-10-24 17:16:00 -0700Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">R</span>eshma Shah is a certified Master ThetaHealing practitioner and instructor, offering life coaching, counseling, meditation and energy healing, along with certification classes and workshops, at her practice in Westfield.</p>
<p><strong>How would you summarize what you do?</strong></p>
<p>In this world, we are conditioned to dim ourselves and to live in lack. My passion is to help people realize that there is abundance, and that it is not outside—it is within ourselves.</p>
<p><strong>What do you mean by “living in lack”?</strong></p>
<p>We are all wounded inside. Yet we live in a world that programs the mindset that this less-than-whole state is acceptable. The moment that we know we are programmed and we set the intention to change, we begin to change our reality and shift from lack to abundance, from illness to health and from damaged self to empowered self.</p>
<p><strong>What would make us realize that we are programmed?</strong></p>
<p>I believe that when the soul is ready, solution arises. People may begin by questioning why certain things in their lives are not working out. They then look for answers by exploring new directions, such as meditation and energy or alternative healing.</p>
<p><strong>How would you answer someone that is skeptical of energy healing?</strong></p>
<p>Everything is energy. If the atoms of the human body were compressed, eliminating all of the space between the particles, we would be the size of a sugar cube.</p>
<p><strong>How is it, then, that energy healing isn’t accepted as standard medical practice?</strong></p>
<p>In many cases, it is. In Japan, for example, ThetaHealing works hand-in-hand with modern medicine, practiced before surgery as an additional tool for information. In the U.S., ThetaHealing is increasingly accepted in hospitals and nursing homes as a standard of care.</p>
<p><strong>What is ThetaHealing?</strong></p>
<p>ThetaHealing is a beautiful meditation technique in dream state that teaches us to access our theta brain waves to tap inward through our cellular system, at the micro and macro levels of our physical, emotional and spiritual selves. It teaches us how to completely alter our reality from living it by default—in lack—to living it in abundance by co-creating with Creator. It allows us to clear our limiting beliefs and blocks and shift our reality into our developing desires and virtues.</p>
<p><strong>Is ThetaHealing an adults-only practice?</strong></p>
<p>I work with people of all ages, and I especially enjoy working with children. They are the pioneers of future generations and will be instrumental in bringing a better future. If children are taught at a younger stage how to choose with clarity, confidence and compassion, and how to be a co-creator as opposed to being a victim or living by default, they can move away from life detours, and it will be much easier for them to move to their highest potential.</p>
<p> It is also a powerful experience for families. Competition and rivalry often drive our families—and our communities—apart, and this comes from a mindset of lack. Sharing and caring come from a mindset of abundance, leading us to actively grow together and unite.</p>
<p><strong>What would you recommend as a next step for anyone interested in learning more?</strong></p>
<p>I always welcome phone calls if someone has questions. I also offer an introductory ThetaHealing class each month, which can be registered for on my website. This month’s class will be November 11.</p>
<p> Beyond the introduction, I offer many diverse workshops and classes each month. Some are stand-alone experiences and have no prerequisites, and others build upon the teachings of previous classes. For example, we have a new Intuitive Anatomy Seminar in January that will give a deeper understanding of how our organs and bodily systems react to our thought patterns and our surroundings. That seminar is open to anyone that has completed both the Basic and Advanced DNA workshops.</p>
<p><strong>Are your offerings limited to group activities?</strong></p>
<p>I feel that people can experience the maximum benefits of what I offer through one-on-one sessions, but I also realize that they may be more comfortable trying out the experience first, in a group setting. That’s why the introductory class can be very helpful. Everyone signing up at the introductory class also receives a gift certificate for a one-on-one session. If they are open minded, ready for a change and ready to shift their lives, I invite them to know that I am available through their journey of shifting their lives.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>For more information, call 908-264-4344, email <a href="mailto:Info@ReshmaShah.com">Info@ReshmaShah.com</a> or visit <a href="http://ReshmaShah.com">ReshmaShah.com</a>. </em></p>
<p> </p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:9048c37d-b78c-45cc-8f8e-2ffc52ab7d532019-08-19T11:54:02-07:002019-08-19T11:54:02-07:00Soshimsa Zen Center Open House2018-09-28 16:32:00 -0700Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>he folks at Soshimsa Zen Center understand that it can be intimidating to explore new spiritual paths, which is why their Open House events are so successful! Created in order to attract like-minded people who are interested in Zen Buddhism, participants can find their oasis in the midst of daily chaos at the Zen Center. Welcoming to all newcomers as well as seasoned practitioners, Soshimsa Zen Center is a one-stop shop for your mind, body and spiritual needs. Visit Shoshimsa Zen Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on October 28 to find out more about what they do and sample some of their programs in a comfortable, friendly environment.</p>
<p> The Zen Center offers meditation classes, traditional Buddhist services and community outreach. There are a wide variety of adult programs, like Healing Arts exercise classes, fellowship programs, a women’s group and Korean archery club, as well as a scouting program for children. The Lotus Scouts teaches children about martial arts, archery, chess and more, and provides summer and winter camps, hiking and other adventures.</p>
<p><em>Location: 1112 North Ave., Plainfield. For more information, call 908-377-9803, email <a href="mailto:Info@Shoshimsa.org">Info@Shoshimsa.org</a> or visit <a href="http://Soshimsa.org">Soshimsa.org</a>.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:8345a907-b6a9-406f-907b-41c9c4f519672019-08-15T21:50:41-07:002019-08-15T21:50:41-07:00Turtle Turnaround: Hatchlings Return to Mumbai Beach After 20 Years2018-09-28 08:58:49 -0700Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>t Versova Beach, in the Indian coastal city of Mumbai, local volunteers have stepped up to finally clean up a shore covered in ankle-deep trash and waste. The United Nations described the transformation as the world’s largest beach cleanup project ever, and the work has been rewarded with serious environmental progress.</p>
<p>For the first time in 20 years, Olive Ridley sea turtles have hatched at Versova. The turtle is currently classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because of environmental pollution. They’re the smallest and most common sea turtle, but all species are threatened by human encroachment and pollution.</p>
<p>Lawyer and conservationist Afroz Shah says, “I had tears in my eyes when I saw them walking towards the ocean.” Local ecologists say it’s possible the Olive Ridley turtles have been nesting on the beach without anyone noticing, but capturing this momentous occasion is a huge boon to the volunteers, which have encountered some resistance via harassment and bureaucracy.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the October 2018 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:89fea9ed-009e-497f-a0a7-2d9ada8088ea2019-08-15T21:57:55-07:002019-08-15T21:57:55-07:00Air Fare: Creating Food from Carbon Dioxide2018-09-28 08:58:43 -0700Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">B</span>y 2050, the world’s population is estimated to hit 10 billion, and food production will need to increase by 70 percent. Traditional farming won’t be able to keep up. Lisa Dyson, who holds three degrees in physics, including a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Boston, knows the reason: ubiquitous carbon dioxide. This byproduct of burning fossil fuels is a known culprit in the pace of climate change.</p>
<p>Dyson is revolutionizing the way protein is made. Several years ago, she and colleague John Reed came across NASA reports from the 1960s and ’70s that discussed using microbes to recycle carbon dioxide aboard spacecraft. “We were fascinated by their research. We wondered if we could develop a similar technology that would enable us to recycle carbon dioxide into valuable products here on Earth,” Dyson says.</p>
<p>Their startup, Kiverdi, uses microbes to transform carbon into bio-based products in special bio-reactors similar to the giant urns used to brew beer. This year, they’re commercializing a new process to transform CO2 into protein powder. The end product, Planet+Protein, is packed with essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the October 2018 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:44956cbf-057b-4146-9631-79da6430e5692019-08-15T22:17:15-07:002019-08-15T22:17:15-07:00Saudi Solar: Oil Giant to Invest in Renewable Energies Project2018-09-28 08:58:39 -0700Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">S</span>audi Arabia intends to host the world’s largest solar project. “It’s a huge step in human history,” says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. “It’s bold, risky and we hope we succeed in doing that.”</p>
<p>Solar power is a logical choice for the country. Its capital, Riyadh, averages 8.9 hours of sunshine a day. The nation is also projected to be severely impacted if climate change raises global temperatures 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. According to Climate Action Tracker, if the global temperature rises 3 to 4 degrees Celsius, 75 percent of the country would be excessively arid by the end of the century.</p>
<p>According to the most recent data available from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Saudi Arabia produces 13 percent of the world’s oil and currently obtains 60 percent of its electric energy from petroleum.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the October 2018 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>